University of Pitt Raises More Than $2 Billion Over 12 Years

PITTSBURGH (AP) – The University of Pittsburgh says it has topped its $2 billion fundraising goal.

Chancellor Mark Nordenberg said Friday that more than 182,000 donors have contributed to the capital campaign, an effort that has enabled major construction projects at all five Pitt campuses, plus supported educational and research initiatives.

Pitt began the “Building Our Future Together” campaign 12 years ago with the goal of raising $500 million. After reaching that milestone in 2002, the target was doubled to $1 billion. In 2007, the goal was doubled again to $2 billion.

Other area schools also have major capital campaigns under way. Carnegie Mellon University, which is close to the Pitt campus, has raised more than $1 billion over the last four years.

Earlier this year, Stanford University announced that it had raised $6.2 billion over a five-year campaign, and in 2011, Yale announced that it raised $3.9 billion in a sevenyear campaign.

Pitt is a state-related school serving about 29,000 students on its main campus and nearly 7,000 more at regional locations.